Episode 7: Vibrant Grotto
Date: 08/04/2018 Time: 1.5 hoursDescription
Associating with the Untouchables
We went in search of the sage Hail mentioned by Argeise and ran across a rather sketchy fellow in the alley offering to sell us a relic of some kind. After a brief discussion and considering the miniscule cost we decided to offer the creature the silver coins. It unexpectedly refused to do business with us and stormed off. A few casual passersby witnessed the interaction and word of it spread quickly lessening our reputation in town. It’s surprising how much emphasis people place on a person’s station in life and with whom one associates. Still, who really cares what other people think?
Hail’s House
We then found the sage’s home without difficult and entered apparently setting off some sort of explosion. The woman came down the stairs, yelled at us for interfering with her experiments, and rambled out some weirdly precise directions about how we are supposed to notify her we have arrived. I suspect the woman is in complete control of her faculties but likes to portray the image of a muddle-headed wizard to keep her visitors off guard.
When we described Jekserah to her she told us it wouldn’t be difficult to scry her location but that a certain herb, currently dry in her cupboard, was required. I suspect this was also some sort of deceit to get us to run an errand but what other option did we have? Yee is bent upon revenge and there is no stopping the monstrous Inox when her mind is set. We agreed to travel to the Vibrant Grotto and pull up some of these roots
Journey to the Grotto
On our way to the Grotto we encountered a strange group of cultists performing some ceremony or another. No doubt it was something illegal for they immediately set upon us when they became aware of our presence. We scattered them easily enough and headed on our way.
The Grotto
We entered the Grotto with the goal of pulling up the roots but a bevy of luxuriously coated bears, strange little imps, and even an Inox Shaman guarded the area and despite our best efforts to inform them we simply wanted to pick some of the root an unfortunate incident occurred. Yee dispatched any number of the foes with leaping attacks while Ohohoho scooped up the plethora of treasure they dropped and Person provided healing and support.
We split into two groups and I ran into a massive Earth Elemental but thankfully my rats along with Ohohoho’s skeletal servitor were able to dispatch the beast before it did me much harm. We lingered long enough to gather a plethora of the root and then departed the area having unleashed a bloodbath upon it. All to gather what I suspect are unnecessary roots for Hail.
Return to Hail
We returned to the sage and she went through a little theater pretending not to remember us but after some forceful insistence she suddenly recalled she had work to do and after a short while gave us a map to where Jekserah is holed up. I strongly suspect she knew all along and simply went through her drama to impress us with her supposed magical acumen.
While Jekserah is certainly on our agenda there is also the matter of the Gloom with which we must continue our investigation. I hope to convince my companions to move in that direction before taking on Jekserah.